Bodies formed to probe Mitford, Birdem, RMCH incidents

Bodies formed to probe Mitford, Birdem, RMCH incidents

A ward full of patients but no interns looking after them at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital Monday. Star file photo

Government formed three separate probe committees to investigate the recent attacks on journalists by intern doctors at Mitford and RMCH and assault of doctors in Birdem by patient's relatives.

The probe committees wee asked to submit its report by seven days. The decisions were taken in a meeting of journalist and doctor leaders at health ministry in the secretariat this afternoon.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim chaired the meeting.

The meeting also decided that government will compensate and bear the treatment cost of the journalists who were injured by doctors in Mitford and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and the doctors who injured in Birdem.

In the meeting the health minister has expressed his sadness over these incidents.

The meeting decided to open an information cell in every medical college hospital and appoint an information officer to brief the media in any incident.

Intern doctors of RMCH mercilessly beat up several journalists of private television channels Jamuna TV and Ekushey TV when they went to cover news at RMCH Sunday evening.

In another incident, intern doctors at Mitford Hospital beat up three reporters and videographers of ETV on the hospital premises and smashed two of their cameras Saturday night when they went to report on allegation of poor health service at Mitford Hospital.

Doctors in Birdem hospital observed work abstention protesting against an alleged assault on their colleagues by the relatives of a patient who died 'due to the negligence of on duty doctors'.

Doctors alleged that Additional Superintendent of Dhaka Metropolitan Police ABM Masud Hossain instigated the assault on three doctors following the death of the patient on last Sunday.

Farhana Nasreen, daughter of the deceased, however, alleged that the doctors' negligence had caused the death. She also claimed they only had an argument with the doctors but did not assault anyone.